Eric Godin

9.5

Even after you smell those big tawny port style raisinated fruits and Tootsie rolls, this wine still surprises you on that first sip. Acidity drives big, ripe, raisins onto the tongue as the wine shows off some lovely organic earth and fruity cocoa. The whole experience is a little boozy though, hard to hide that 16%! Paired up with some tangy bbq for one of my favorite pairings to date. — 8 years ago

with Jay

David Kline

9.3

Big, just-off-white crown lingers over dark, orange-amber, but once it resides is nearly laceless with isolated organic, punctuating archipelagos. Initial, buttery nutritional yeast, crystalline mangrove honey, magnolias, marigold, candied lemon peel and sweet rosemary, but don't let the fig addition and the sweet aromatics fool you; sour and underripe complexity ensues. Medium-heavy, unfiltered mouthfeel feels petulant, but swallows almost flat due to the dichotomy of dryness. Dried and underripe apricot combo, pineapple essence, gooseberry, chalk, snail shell, gravel dust, dried violets, fishbone, key lime, tangerine zest, and leek. A bright, green, mineral-driven offering. #farmcharm #saison #Darbyste #biere #bier #beer #brasseriedeblaugies #artisinale #nonfiltre #wit #blanche #bierdarbyste #belgian #belgianbeer #familyowned — 9 years ago

with Courtney

Jeffrey Boscamp

9.3

Outrageous off the grid white. Funky and fun at Le coucou. Birthday a few days after. 2/2/17 — 9 years ago

Brian McMahon

Sales Polaner Selections

9.4

2014
Organic: Practicing
Vineyard: Fourchaume is a 250 acres (100 Ha) vineyard, planted to the left of the Grand Crus. It is arguably the most recognizable and highly reputed of the Chablis 1er Crus.
Orientation: West/Southwest
Soil: Kimmeridgien - limestone
Viticulture: AgriBio certified since 2010. Farms organically and manually works the soils. Grapes are harvested in small cases of 15 kg and are immediately pressed.
Vinification: Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in 50% tank and 50% neutral barrels of varying age.
Aging: Blended wines are aged on the lees for 18 months in combination of vats and barrels.
Notes: Fourchaume produces wines that are distinctly floral and fruity, possessing minerality and delicacy.
RATINGS
Publication: Burghound
Rating: 91
(from Fourchaume and Vaupoulent). A deft but not invisible application of wood set off ripe and fresh aromas of green fruit, pear, apple and quinine wisps. There is excellent richness and volume to the sappy, lush and textured medium weight flavors that possess both good punch and focused power, all wrapped in a clean, dry and ever-so-mildly austere finale. Lovely and a relatively elegant example of the cru. 91/2020+
Publication: Vinous
Rating: 91
Pale, bright yellow. Deeply pitched, youthfully subdued nose hints at nectarine, caraway seed and mint. The most intensely flavored of these 2014s, showing firm acidity and saline minerality for this often exotic premier cru. Offers an enticing balance of citrus and stone fruit flavors and salty lift and finishes with very good subtle length and sneaky energy. — 10 years ago

Ron R

9.2

Overall, amazing. And I typically avoid cab franc.

First, you are greeted with an off-putting barnyard aroma. It evaporates over time. But once you get through that, you are in for an organic surprise!

On the palette, it's wild, yet precise. Crunchy and textured, but not overly so. It packs a punch in a velvet glove. It dances on the tongue with wild herbs, pomegranate and dark cherries.

Such a pleasure at a great price. — 11 years ago

Lindsay Simmerman

9.6

Love this sweet, fruity, peach burst. Certified organic is always good too. Another great patio pounder for the summer. Not high in alcohol so it won't rock your socks off. — 11 years ago

Lynn Xue

9.0

Had it at la paulee off grid — 11 years ago

Scott Citino

9.7

This is one of my favorite Zinfandels. Deep, bold,and full of fruit. Amador county produces many of the best Zinfandels in California. Sobon is a totally green and off the grid winery. — 12 years ago

Tia Butts

8.9

La Paulée "Off the grid" Favorites: La Justice is served. — 12 years ago

CF Levy

9.7

Staving off fluishness...maybe hops will help? — 13 years ago

Monica Morin

10

Yum. Buy again. Bought at Sobey's for $8 off at 21.99. Sipping alone as Pierre is in Ft. Mac. Bought two bottles and thinking of gifting one to Julie England. — 8 years ago

Elliot Rosen

9.0

Very easy drinker. No off notes. Getting more. — 9 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.8

Where do I start with this wine? Perhaps what I didn't like about it. Palate seems unresolved as of now and it didn't deliver as much satisfaction as the nose, but that's just nitpicking. Also a touch too oxidative - hints of sherry notes. However, in a way, this adds complexity to what was already a rich, layered array of aromas. Tasting the Sapience, I think of a warm mille feuille, with baked apples and spices in one layer, salted caramel with nuts in another, chamomile cream with fresh mandarin pieces in the last. This had complexity of the highest order and probably the best champagne I've tasted this year.

Notes: Better to serve it in a bigger format glass. Like Bouchard and Selosse, bubbles dissipates quickly here. The ample use of oak and richness of the wine does make it somewhat table-like. Also, CJ noted that's this could have pulled off as a Selosse Millesime, which I have yet to taste. Mixed info about the wine so will list them all.

From FORCEBERRY on Cellartracker:
This is a brainchild of Benoît Marguet: the world's first "prestige cuvée" by Champagne small growers. Despite labeled under Marguet's name, this wine is not made with Marguet grapes; instead the grapes come from organic producer Georges Laval, who supplied Pienot Meunier (2/3 of the wine) and biodynamic producer David Léclapart, who supplied Chardonnay (1/3 of the wine), all grapes from minimum 1er Cru-level vineyards. The wine is vinified by Benoît Maguet and Hervé Jestin, a man best known as the cellar master of Duval-leroy. The wine is fermented and aged in old barriques for 6 months, after which the wine is bottled and left to age in Marguet's cellars for a minimum of 5 years. This wine is disgorged in September 2012 with a dosage of 3 g/l.

From Planetwine:
Sapience is a collaboration between Benoit Marguet, Benoit Lahaye, Vincent Laval, and David Leclapart. The concept is to craft a Champagne using extreme biodynamic methods. This rendition of Sapience comprises Chardonnay from David Leclapart, and Pinot Meunier from Vincent Laval. The next version will have Pinot Noir from Benoit Lahaye. The wine is made in the cellar of Benoit Marguet, who is one of the most passionate biodynamic winemakers we've encountered. The base wine spends two years aging in Bordeaux barrels before the second fermentation in bottle. More Chardy in blend.

From Pillariwine:

Benoit Marguet partnered with Herve Jestin to create this wine, the first ever certified organic prestige Champagne blended from across the region. They release the same wine with two different labels. One is Sapience/Marguet the other one is Champagne Jestin. Grapes are from the fellows of Hervé Jestin, Vincent Laval(Cumières, PN&PM, Biologic) and David Leclappart(Trépail, CH, Biodynamie). — 9 years ago

with Michelle

Zandra Sanner

9.9

Very nice flavor. Would definitely get again. Purchased at Publix on sale for $10.89. Regular price is $12.39. Definitely need to get more before it goes off sale. — 10 years ago

Scott Wren

9.0

Off the grid. Great eye opener. This is crisp and refreshing with serious depth. Can taste all those crustaceans ! — 10 years ago

Gillian Robb

9.0

Wet wool and oxidized yellow apple on the nose. Off dry and tree fruit driven on the palate. Nice mix of organic and inorganic minerality. — 11 years ago

Zachary Sussman

Wine writer PUNCH

9.1

The real deal. Ancestral method organic Lambrusco like they used to make it. Earthy and dry with typically brambly fruit, but what makes it unique is this tart, tangy, almost lambic-like sourness that some might find off-putting, but which I confess I love. A very honest and distinctive effort at $16. — 11 years ago

Julia Weinberg

9.1

New chablis find at #lapaulee Off Grid. Dauviesque — 11 years ago

Stevie Stacionis

Owner, Bay Grape Wine Shop

9.7

Mercurey Blanc that tastes like Roulot?!?! No joke. My #lapaulee Off Grid wine of the night. — 12 years ago

with Chad, Jimmy and 1 other

Jaime Dutton

9.3

This is burgundy off grid — 12 years ago

with La

Daniel P. Drake

9.0

Starting the week off with the 2011 King Estate Pinot Noir from Eugene, OR. King Estate is located 20 miles southwest of Eugene, OR on the southwest edge of the Willamette Valley on 1033 acres certified organic vineyard. I tried this four years ago and it has seemed to have matured a bit sunce then in those four years. A more pleasurable wine this time around.

On the nose there is beautiful fruit of strawberry, cherry, red raspberry, cranberry, vanilla, a little barnyard, cola and a slight bit of licorice.

On the palate I am getting sour cherry, tart strawberry, red raspberry, pomegranate, vanilla, eucalyptus and a light oak note.

The wine is medium bodied with medium + acidity and medium smooth tannin that leads right into a medium to long beautiful tart fruit prolonged finish. A very nice wine that is an easy drinker. The week is starting off right so have a great week and be safe. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 8 years ago

Alex Kitayama

9.2

In the middle of dog days of summer, when the late afternoon sun is blazing and the breeze is heavy with humidity, opening a chilled bottle of crisp, fruity and zesty Sauvignon Blanc is too great a temptation to resist.

I have to admit, though, I'm a newbie to this grape variety. As a regular reds drinker and a big fan of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc never ranked high on my list. Things changed last late summer, when I encountered the beautiful bottle of Cloudy Bay from Marlborough on the South Island of New Zealand. It opened my eyes, not to mention my palate.

Since then, I usually choose NZ Sauvignon Blanc over those from Pouilly-Fume and Sancerre in the Loire Valley, France, especially in the summer months.

The classic French examples tend to be more elegant and creamy thanks to oak barrel fermentation and aging. Its flinty aroma, a gift of the terroir, is world-renown. On the other hand, the NZ Sauvignon Blanc is more expressive, showing off its lively aromas loaded with fresh fruit flavors, successfully retained by fermentation in stainless steel or concrete vat. This style of Sauvignon Blanc has set itself apart from its French cousins and put New Zealand on the map.

I've opened four different NZ Sauvignon Blanc, all from Marlborough, around the C$19 range over the last few weeks, including Villa Maria Cellar Selection 2016, Momo 2015, Kim Crawford 2016 and Astrolabe Province 2016. Among them, I like Villa Maria the most.

The pungent aroma with white peach, nectarine, passion fruit, gooseberry, lime and grape fruit is just intoxicating.

The first sip is almost like biting into a juicy, underripe white peach and Granny Smith apple, followed by zesty grapefruit and gooseberry, and then a slice of passion fruit kicks in. The hint of grass and crushed rock definitely adds another layer of complexity. Then the vibrant flavor lingers with a subtle green pepper note.

I paired with a wide range of dishes. The wine's refreshing sweetness and zest beautifully enhanced the spicy kick of Thai green curry and the cheesiness of margarita pizza. It nicely complemented grilled salmon and a big bowl of salad thanks to its crispness and subtle herbal note and minerality.

Still, this is a perfect summer wine to drink solo. As the glaring sun slowly goes down, a glass of Sauvignon Blanc guarantees to quench the thirst on a warm midsummer's evening. Cheers! — 9 years ago

Jusden Aumand

9.0

Producer is somewhat off the grid in recent years. Very well made. Aging gracefully. — 10 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Mike Grgich, the “King of Chardonnay” farms w/o pesticides and certified organic. Aged 10 months and did not undergo malolactic fermentation. The color is a pale golden yellow with aromas of stone, tropical fruit and citrus. The palate shows off apple, melon and peach flavors, with some orange rind and nutty notes coming through. The finish was rich and creamy with some spicy mineral and perfumed tones lingering to a complex ending. Not your typical California Chardonnay, Grgich delivers like a few can! — 10 years ago

David Devan

9.2

My fav has returned from a few years off the grid. — 11 years ago

Jim Reed

Fine Wine Room Manager Harbor View Wines and Liquors

8.9

Went through the CMS grid blind on this one and was way off. Called it a Cali Merlot?! Definitely more modern in style which threw me. After being revealed it's definitely still ripe and more fruit forward than earthy for a rioja. However, still quite tasty. — 11 years ago

frank delzio

9.0

Really nice . . ! Light and sort of off the grid for terroir . . — 11 years ago

with Jim, Taylor and 1 other

Scott Fausel

9.0

Really enjoyed this Rhine blend from paso while at Off the Grid picnic in the Presidio. Excellent balance of flavors. — 12 years ago

Tia Butts

8.9

La Paulée "Off the grid" Favorites — 12 years ago

Julia Weinberg

9.3

Maconnais table winner #lapaulee off grid — 13 years ago